Career and Education Opportunities for Hairdressers in Alexandria, Virginia

If you want to be a hairdresser, the Alexandria, Virginia area offers many opportunities both for education and employment. The national trend for hairdressers sees this job pool growing by about 20.1% over the next eight years. In general, hairdressers provide beauty services, such as shampooing, cutting, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp.

The income of a hairdresser is about $12 hourly or $25,440 annually on average in Virginia. In the U.S. as a whole, their income is about $11 per hour or $23,140 annually on average. Compared with people working in the overall category of Personal Care, people working as hairdressers in Virginia earn more. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Personal Care nationally.

The Alexandria area is home to eighty-four schools of higher education, including thirteen within twenty-five miles of Alexandria where you can get a degree as a hairdresser. The most common level of education for hairdressers is a post-secondary certificate. It will take a short time to learn to be a hairdresser if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Hairdresser

Hairdresser video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, hairdressers provide beauty services, such as shampooing, cutting, and styling hair, and massaging and treating scalp. They also may also apply makeup, dress wigs, perform hair removal, and provide nail and skin care services.

Hairdressers analyze customers' hair and other physical features to establish and recommend beauty treatment or suggest hair styles. They also bleach or tint hair, using applicators or brushes. Equally important, hairdressers have to update and take care of customer data records. They are often called upon to keep work stations clean and sanitize tools such as scissors and combs. They are expected to apply water, setting, straightening or waving solutions to hair and use curlers, rollers, hot combs and curling irons to press and curl hair. Finally, hairdressers comb and spray hair or wigs to set style.

Every day, hairdressers are expected to be able to control objects and devices with precise control. They need to move quickly in order to hold onto or control objects and devices. It is also important that they control and manipulate objects at a fine level of detail.

It is important for hairdressers to massage and treat scalp for hygienic and remedial purposes, using hands or vibrating equipment. They are often called upon to shape eyebrows and remove facial hair, using depilatory cream, tweezers, electrolysis or wax. They also administer therapeutic medication and advise patron to seek medical treatment for chronic or contagious scalp conditions. They are sometimes expected to operate cash registers to receive payments from customers. Somewhat less frequently, hairdressers are also expected to bleach or tint hair, using applicators or brushes.

and cut, trim and shape hair or hairpieces, on the basis of customers' instructions, hair type and facial features, using clippers, scissors, trimmers and razors. And finally, they sometimes have to comb and spray hair or wigs to set style.

Like many other jobs, hairdressers must believe in cooperation and coordination and have strong self control in the face of challenging situations.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Alexandria include:

Makeup Artist. Apply makeup to performers to reflect period, setting, and situation of their role.

Manicurist. Clean and shape customers' fingernails and toenails. May polish or decorate nails.

Personal Home Care Aide. Assist elderly or disabled adults with daily living activities at the person's home or in a daytime non-residential facility. Duties performed at a place of residence may include keeping house (making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes) and preparing meals. May provide meals and supervised activities at non-residential care facilities. May advise families, the elderly, and disabled on such things as nutrition, cleanliness, and household utilities.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Hairdresser Training

Ana Visage Institute - Great Falls, VA

Ana Visage Institute, 10130-B Colvin Run Rd, Great Falls, VA 22066. Ana Visage Institute is a small school located in Great Falls, Virginia. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 13 students. Ana Visage Institute has 2 areas of study related to Hairdresser. They are:

Electrolysis/Electrology and Electrolysis Technician, less than one year which graduated 2 students in 2008.

Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other Specialties, one to two year which graduated 2 students in 2008.

Hair Expressions Academy - Rockville, MD

Hair Expressions Academy, 12450 Parklawn Dr 2nd fl, Rockville, MD 20852. Hair Expressions Academy is a small school located in Rockville, Maryland. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 88 students. Hair Expressions Academy has a one to two year program in Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Arts, Other Specialties which graduated seventy students in 2008.

American Beauty Academy - Wheaton, MD

American Beauty Academy, 11006 Veirs Mill Road, Wheaton, MD 20902-1911. American Beauty Academy is a small school located in Wheaton, Maryland. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs. It has 163 students and an admission rate of 91%. American Beauty Academy has a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated 107 students in 2008.

Heritage Institute - Manassas, VA

Heritage Institute, 8255 Shoppers Square, Manassas, VA 20111-2176. Heritage Institute is a small school located in Manassas, Virginia. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 320 students. Heritage Institute has a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated thirty-seven students in 2008.

Dudley Beauty College - Washington, DC

Dudley Beauty College, 2031 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington, DC 20018-2834. Dudley Beauty College is a small college located in Washington, District of Columbia. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 94 students. Dudley Beauty College has 3 areas of study related to Hairdresser. They are:

Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, one to two year which graduated 46 students in 2008.

Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager, less than one year.

Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor, less than one year which graduated 3 students in 2008.

Aaron's Academy of Beauty - Waldorf, MD

Aaron's Academy of Beauty, 11690 Doolittle Drive, Waldorf, MD 20602. Aaron's Academy of Beauty is a small school located in Waldorf, Maryland. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 55 students. Aaron's Academy of Beauty has a less than one year and a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated three and twelve students respectively in 2008.

Montgomery Beauty School - Silver Spring, MD

Montgomery Beauty School, 8736 Arliss St, Silver Spring, MD 20901. Montgomery Beauty School is a small school located in Silver Spring, Maryland. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 101 students. Montgomery Beauty School has a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated forty-five students in 2008.

Bennett Career Institute - Washington, DC

Bennett Career Institute, 700 Monroe Street N.E., Washington, DC 20017. Bennett Career Institute is a small school located in Washington, District of Columbia. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 176 students. Bennett Career Institute has 3 areas of study related to Hairdresser. They are:

Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, one to two year which graduated 41 students in 2008.

Salon/Beauty Salon Management/Manager, less than one year which graduated 1 student in 2008.

Cosmetology, Barber/Styling, and Nail Instructor, one to two year which graduated 1 student in 2008.

Aesthetics Institute of Cosmetology - Gaithersburg, MD

Aesthetics Institute of Cosmetology, 15958C Shady Grove Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Aesthetics Institute of Cosmetology is a small school located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 29 students. Aesthetics Institute of Cosmetology has 2 areas of study related to Hairdresser. They are:

Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, one to two year which graduated 13 students in 2008.

Make-Up Artist/Specialist, less than one year.

Hair Academy Inc-New Carrollton - New Carrollton, MD

Hair Academy Inc-New Carrollton, 8435 Old Annapolis Rd, New Carrollton, MD 20784. Hair Academy Inc-New Carrollton is a small school located in New Carrollton, Maryland. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 173 students. Hair Academy Inc-New Carrollton has a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated seventy-eight students in 2008.

Springfield Beauty Academy - Annandale, VA

Springfield Beauty Academy, 4223 Annandale Rd, Annandale, VA 22003. Springfield Beauty Academy is a small school located in Annandale, Virginia. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 78 students. Springfield Beauty Academy has a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated sixty-six students in 2008.

New Creations Academy of Hair Design - Suitland, MD

New Creations Academy of Hair Design, 3930 Bexley Pl, Suitland, MD 20746. New Creations Academy of Hair Design is a small school located in Suitland, Maryland. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 20 students. New Creations Academy of Hair Design has a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated fourteen students in 2008.

Graham Webb International Academy of Hair - Arlington, VA

Graham Webb International Academy of Hair, 1621 N. Kent St, Suite 1617 Ll Rosslyn Plaza, Arlington, VA 22209-2131. Graham Webb International Academy of Hair is a small school located in Arlington, Virginia. It is a private for-profit school with primarily less-than 2-year programs and has 208 students. Graham Webb International Academy of Hair has a one to two year program in Cosmetology/Cosmetologist which graduated 102 students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Permanent Cosmetic Technician:
CPCT certification can be used to demonstrate advanced skill in permanent cosmetics to employers and clients to help advance ones career.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Alexandria, Virginia

Alexandria, Virginia photo by SchuminWeb

Alexandria is situated in Alexandria City County, Virginia. It has a population of over 143,885, which has grown by 12.2% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Alexandria, 124, is far greater than the national average.

The three big industries for women in Alexandria are professional, scientific, and technical services, public administration, and health care. For men, it is professional, scientific, and technical services, public administration, and construction. The average commute to work is about 30 minutes. More than 54.3% of Alexandria residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 24.8%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Alexandria is 4.6%, which is less than Virginia's average of 6.4%.

Church of Resurrection Episcopal, Agudas Achim Synagogue and Alexandria Bible Church are some of the churches located in Alexandria.

Alexandria is home to the Circle Terrace Hospital and the Kate Waller Barrett Branch as well as Marina Park and Founders Park. Shopping centers in the area include Hamlet Shopping Center, Landmark Shopping Center and Arlandria Shopping Center. Visitors to Alexandria can choose from Comfort Inn-Landmark, Best Western Old Colony Inn and Hilton Inn for temporary stays in the area.